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Showing posts from September, 2025

The First Things That Will Probably Cause Humans to Become Extinct. (Understanding the factors that might precipitate this dire outcome is essential for guiding our actions toward a more sustainable future.)

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In the intricate tapestry of Earth’s history, the threads of life have been woven with a delicate balance, punctuated by several catastrophic events that have reset the evolutionary clock. These mass extinctions, known as the “big five,” have shaped the course of life on our planet, dramatically altering its inhabitants and ecosystems. As humanity forges ahead in the modern era, a disconcerting question looms large: Are we teetering on the precipice of a sixth extinction event, one that could potentially mark the end of our species’ dominion over Earth? The resounding consensus among scientists is an unequivocal “yes.” This looming scenario unfolds against the backdrop of climate change, environmental degradation, and technological advancements, raising concerns about the trajectory of human existence. Understanding the factors that might precipitate this dire outcome is essential for guiding our actions toward a more sustainable future. Extinction is near In a world grappling with the...

Cold War Lessons for Philanthropy and the Future of Coalitions

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On a sweltering June day in 1950, NAACP convention delegates gathered inside a Boston ballroom to vote on a controversial resolution. Speeches were made. Shouting ensued. The headlines afterward told the story: delegates had voted, by overwhelming majority, to bar communists and banish infected chapters from holding membership or leadership positions. This was not just a procedural matter—NAACP leaders Walter White and Roy Wilkins championed the purge, believing it was the only way to preserve the organization’s legitimacy in an era of heightened suspicion.  The Baltimore Sun  reported the decision matter-of-factly, a measure aimed at safe guarding the organization’s reputation amid intensifying Cold War scrutiny. But Black press accounts, like  The New York Age , carried a more somber tone, noting the symbolic and strategic cost of cutting loose comrades who had marched, organized, and fought alongside the NAACP through the Depression and World War II. This wasn’t an abs...